Tag Archives: beneficial bugs

Horticulture means more than decorating a space outdoors. For some people, horticulture is more than a hobby. A garden provides the person who has put time into it a way of finding tranquility, peace, and a feeling of appreciation of life. You can really pull off some miracles if you are a good gardener.

Many times when digging in clay soil the clay will adhere to the shovel, which will make it much harder to dig. Get better results in clay by rubbing car wax or floor wax onto the shovel, then buff off and dig. This will make your task easier because the clay won’t stick to the shovel. It will also keep your garden tool from rusting.

Kill Weeds

A good way to ensure that your seeds sprout effectively is to start them in smaller pots and then transplant them once they reach the seedling stage. Your plants will be more likely to mature this way. It also helps you make your planting times more frequent. Once you remove the most recent mature plants from your garden, the seedlings are immediately ready to be planted.

Make sure you remove the weeds from your garden! Weeds can take over a healthy garden faster than you think. White vinegar has been known to kill weeds quickly. Use it instead of chemical solutions to kill weeds. Put some white vinegar in a spray bottle, and spray directly on weeds. If you don’t want to pull weeds out by hand anymore, give vinegar a try.

Transform the handles of your tools into convenient measuring devices. Tools with long handles, such as a shovel or rake, are absolutely perfect for this job, and make your workload a little bit smaller. After laying the handles on the floor, run the measuring tape along beside them. Use a bright permanent marker and label the distances. When you are gardening next, you’ll have a ruler beside you at all times.

Broad-spectrum pesticides are really not the optimal choice for pest control in your garden. Broad-spectrum pesticides not only kill pests, but also “good” bugs like ground beetles that eat pests. Beneficial bugs usually have more sensitivity towards pesticides than bad ones. Therefore, if the number of beneficial bugs drops, the problem with pests can get bigger. This can cause you to use an additional amount of pesticides in order to attempt to fix this problem.

Annuals and biennials are an excellent way to add a splash of bright color to your flower gardens. The annuals and biennials are usually fast growing because they only last one season, and this will let you change the garden every season for a nice change of pace. Sunny areas in the middle of shrubs and perennials can be filled in nicely with these plants. There are many flowers you can plant in these gaps. Try marigolds, petunias or sunflowers for a brighter garden.

If you have a problem with your dog disturbing your garden, you can repel him by spraying perfume or other scents on the grass near the edge. This covers up the smells that bring dogs to gardens in the first place, which means dogs are less likely to enter the garden.

Transplanting plants and bringing them indoors can protect them from harsh winters. You can save the ones you spent the most money on or the ones that are resistant. Dig around roots carefully before transferring to a pot.

Be sure you plant strawberries in your garden for your children, you want to make sure you especially plant everbearing strawberries as well. Kids really enjoy plucking snacks directly from the ground, and may have greater enthusiasm for the work if they see the results of their labor right away.

Analyze the soil before you even get started with working in a garden. You can do a soil sample analysis for an affordable fee and then know what you need to properly treat your soil with so you can grow the best plants. Save yourself the trouble of a failed crop by contacting your local Cooperative Extension to preform the soil test.

Avoid getting an infection by not allowing dirt and other chemicals to get into open wounds. A cut that has come into contact with extraneous materials like dirt can become seriously infected. Bandages are available that will completely cover the cut so that this cannot happen.

Plants require a good amount of CO2 in order to grow to their maximum height. Plants tend to grow better when the CO2 levels are higher. A greenhouse has the best levels available. CO2 levels are best kept high, in order to provide optimal growing conditions for your plants.

Gather the information that you have learned here and create a wonderful garden that springs back to life. You will be overjoyed to know that your plants are healthy! Gardening is a potentially life altering activity, but only if you permit it, so why not start now?

Soak the seeds and store in a dark area overnight. Place a small amount of seeds in a little container, while filling it to the brim with water. This will allow your seeds to be hydrated and get a head start when growing. This gives the seeds a better chance of flourishing.